Water divining fact or fiction?

[skent]

Four years ago, during the east coast drought, our 27' hand dug well went (almost) dry after 85 years of faithfull service. I wanted to try a site close to the house, for ease of hookup. We called a friend who was sure he could find a good vein . He walked all over for more than 3 hours. Found two "good" sites. The first (he said) was within75 feet of the surface and was big. The second was deeper but bigger. We tried his first site, I had the driller stop when he got to 450' and was still blowing dust. Then we tried close to the house, hit 12 GPM at 130'. But we had to have the well screened due to the rock conditions. That added $2400 to the price of the well, but I didn't want to attempt a third hole. By the way, the old hand dug well came back the following winter and is still used for the livestock and irrigation. Live and learn.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Northern Supply sells or used to a divining rod. It looked like a bicycle grip with telesoping rods inside it. When you pulled the insides out it looked like you were holding a radio antenna from a fifty's car. It pivoted over ninety degrees.

You walked across your field and the antenna thingy will cross ninety degrees automatically over anything flowing, water, gas, telco, power, etc.

 

[BarryinMN]

Our well failed also after faithfully pumping water since the 1940's. My cousin learned witching after he spent $10K drilling dry holes on his new place. I had him witch a new well for me & it works. Branch even moves for me although the spot was already marked. The branch really moves. Cousin measured it off & said 100' down 5 gpm.

The drillers found 2.5 gpm at 40' about typical around here, kept drilling to 150' & ended up with 20 gpm. Been running for over a year now.

I seen a brochure on witching there may be a website as well.

 

[HuckBB62]

Had to bump this one. I'm a solid believer in water witching. One found our well, exactly the depth and flow he said it'd be. There's a whole community called Balance Rock a quarter mile away that had a shared well that went dry last summer. Old Ted found them a 100gpm well! If you're in central or southern California, he's your man!

 

[ChrisW]

My great grandfather used to do this when he was looking for an area to drill a well in. He was almost always right.

Although he did have a degree in geology and had been studying the geology maps of the area for years.

I really think that someone educated and familiar with the area you live in will be better than a water witch.

Another thing is that you do not actually know the background of the people that are doing this. The guy in California mentioned above may have a degree in geology as well and does not mention that because he wants you to believe in the water witch. Something to think about.

Chris

 

[EastTexFrank]

Put me in the believer column. I've seen it work about 75% of the time. I've tried it for buried lines and cables using welding rods and it was accurate enough for me although probably not as good as a metal detector. I've never tried it with a "Y" shaped stick but I've seen it done with good success, 3 out of 3 isn't bad. I don't have a clue as to why it works but the success rate is too high for it to be mere coincidence.

 

[notamustang]

Never done the water but have found burried pvc conduits and abandoned pvc pipe. I can find gopher tunels pretty well too. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[NIXON]

Put me in the column that doesn't think divining has merit . John

 

[1962]

had a guy (plummer) over a few years back. he took 2 welding rods took the iron coating off them and told me where every pipe was for the leech field. he also told me there was something else down there and showed me where it was. i had some RG coax buried in plastic conduit for amateur radio, and he knew where it was. i was a believer then... i gave it a try, but it did'nt work for me. i guess some people have it, and some don't..

 

[penokee]

I had a set made out of brass welding rods, bent 90d for the handle with copper tubing so they'd rotate easy. Worked for a while, could even find coins that the kids would hide in the grass. left them on top the refrigerator for a couple of weeks and they'd never work again. I don't understand how they worked and understand even less why they lost whatever they had. Come to think of it, I changed my brand of brandy abouit that time - hmm /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
penokee